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Motives behind Hiroshima bombing
Importance of the atomic bomb
Motives behind Hiroshima bombing
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The bombing of Hiroshima was in no way justifiable. I understand that Hiroshima was an important industrial city, creating weapons for the military but why would there be a need for a bomb when there was a request for negotiation to end the war?
The explosion destroyed 90% of the city killing 80,000 people and then later on tens of thousands died of radiation.(4) Japan did say they would fight to the end in the Pacific but there were clear signs before the bombing that demonstrated they had little chance of winning.(4) Japan’s military was weak, by June of 1945, their navy was not strong and their air force had been almost destroyed.(5) Also before the bomb was dropped American warplanes spread around the country, and US bombers left a trail of devastation. 300 American bombers attacked Tokyo, killing 100,000 people, dropping almost 1,700 tons of bombs and then later on May 23 520 giant B-29 bombers dropped 4,500 tons of bombs on the Japanese capital.(5) Then two days later on May 25th the second strike of 502 B-29 dropped 4,000 tons of explosives together this would destroy 56 square miles of the Japanese capital.(5) Now, this was before
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the actual Hiroshima bombing. The United States inflicted these attacks only really to show that they were powerful and that they clearly had enough power and resources to actually inflict a lot of destruction. Japan was actually trying to bring the conflict to an end, but Americans didn't know this until the war was over. Chicago Tribune reporter, Walter Trahan,how had valuable information was even obligated to keep quiet for 7 months.(5) Even though Japan was weak and had even asked to negotiate a resolution, the United States proceed to drop the bomb. President Truman even said that the bomb was justified because he claimed “it saved millions of lives.”(5) Although it did also kill thousands of innocent civilians. Truman said “the world will note that the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, a military base.That was because we wished in his first attack to avoid, insofar as possible the killing of civilians,” but literally almost all the Hiroshima victims were civilians.(5) Really the dropping of the bomb on Hiroshima was a way for the United States to empress Japanese leaders and other government leaders. It was a message that demonstrated that they had a new weapon that could inflict a lot of destruction, really the only thing they had to do was drop the bomb on an isolated military base. Instead of dropping it on an isolated military base they decided to drop it on a populated city killing many. The bombing at Hiroshima alone is hard to justify but it's more difficult to defend the second bombing at Nagasaki.(5) Really what the United States wanted to do was demonstrate to the Japan that they were a superior force and they also wanted to show their new rivals the Soviet Union there powerful new weapon.(6) The United States clearly wanted to end the war quickly but the bombings were not right. The bombing of Hiroshima should have been enough to cause Japan to surrender but they kept going and bombed Nagasaki. Really the United States could have pulled a more diplomatic card by convincing Japan to surrender, but instead they decided to drop another bomb which showed that they were impatient. Hiroshima and Nagasaki were industrial areas that produced warships and other kinds of war materials and resources, but those cities were also filled with innocent civilians that didn't need to go through what they did. Many died of the actual bomb but then later on many died of radiation. The usual firebombing the United States was already inflicting would have been enough to cause Japan to surrender, but they continued to attack.(1) The United States would become the first nation to use nuclear weapons and instead of preventing other nations from using nuclear weapons it only influenced them to make them even more.(2) In conclusion, The United States dropping a bomb on Hiroshima demonstrates that they wanted to show that they were powerful to Japan and there new rivals.
Dropping a bomb on an urban area would really show the effect of there new creation, basically that's what they were going for. Although many say that the bombing was justifiable because it would end the war quickly and would save many people. Really the bomb wasn't meant to hit a city with industrial military warfare but just the city itself because its population.(3) The bombing of Hiroshima was not right and there is nothing that can make it justifiable because it killed thousands of innocent people not a military base. The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was a way that the United States could show off their new weapon and demonstrate that they were a powerful
nation. Works Cited “Debate: Bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki.” Debate: Bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki - Debatepedia, debatepedia.idebate.org/en/index.php/Debate:_Bombing_Hiroshima_and_Nagasaki#Image:_Did_the_world_understand.2Fforgive_this_US_action.3F. Friedman, George. “Debating the Morality of Hiroshima.” Stratfor, Stratfor, 11 Aug. 2015, worldview.stratfor.com/article/debating-morality-hiroshima. Ham, Paul. “The Bureaucrats Who Singled Out Hiroshima for Destruction.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 6 Aug. 2015, www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/08/hiroshima-nagasaki-atomic-bomb-anniversary/400448/. History.com Staff. “Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 2009, www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bombing-of-hiroshima-and-nagasaki. “INSTITUTE FOR HISTORICAL REVIEW.” Was Hiroshima Necessary?, www.ihr.org/jhr/v16/v16n3p-4_Weber.html. Snow, Dan. “Was It Right to Bomb Hiroshima?” BBC IWonder, BBC, www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zq7yg82.
The official reason given for dropping the bomb was to bring a quick end to tht war and save American lives. However, Takaki presents many different explanations as to why the decision to use the bomb was made. He disagrees with the popular belief that the decision to use the bomb was made solely to quickly end the war in the Pacific and to save American lives. Takaki presents theories such as international concerns, American sentiment, and racism in an attempt to more fully explain why this decision was made.
The United States of America’s use of the atomic bomb on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki has spurred much debate concerning the necessity, effectiveness, and morality of the decision since August 1945. After assessing a range of arguments about the importance of the atomic bomb in the termination of the Second World War, it can be concluded that the use of the atomic bomb served as the predominant factor in the end of the Second World War, as its use lowered the morale, industrial resources, and military strength of Japan. The Allied decision to use the atomic bomb not only caused irreparable physical damage on two major Japanese cities, but its use also minimized the Japanese will to continue fighting. These two factors along
Japan will never forgotten the day of August 6 and 9 in 1945; we became the only victim by the atomic bombs in the world. When the atomic was dropped at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, there was World War II. The decision of dropping the atomic bombs was affected by different backgrounds such as the Manhattan Project, and the Pacific War. At Hiroshima City, the population of Hiroshima was 350,000 when the atomic bomb dropped. Also, the population of Nagasaki was around 250,000 ("Overview."). However, there was no accurate number of death because all of documents were burned by the atomic bombs. On the other hand, the atomic bombs had extremely strong power and huge numbers of Japanese who lived in Hiroshima
The use of the atomic bomb against Japan was completely justified in both cause and impact. An intense weapon was necessary to force a quick Japanese surrender. The bomb saved thousands upon thousands of American and Japanese lives that would have been lost if the war continued or an invasion occurred. The bomb was the only way to end the suffering of the millions who were being held captive by the Japanese oppressor. The weapon of mass destruction also sent a powerful message to the shaky Soviet allies. The choice to use the atomic bomb was justified because it compelled a Japanese surrender, saved countless lives, served as retribution for the sufferings of many people, and acted as an anti-Soviet deterrent.
During the initial blast the A-bomb released about 85% of its energy as intense heat followed by a supersonic shock wave that is felt as a highly destructive high pressure air blast, which can easily demolish tall buildings, not to mention people. After the initial blast radiation covers the area, causing people, animals, and structures to practically disintegrate. Even years afterwards people were still dying and having health problems related to the radiation they were exposed to long before. There were many people that were strongly opposed to the using of nuclear weapons on Japan. But invading the is land instead of bombing would have taken perhaps 1 million us soldiers lives.
In August of 1945, both of the only two nuclear bombs ever used in warfare were dropped on the Japanese cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. These two bombs shaped much of the world today.
On August 6th, 1945, the United States of America dropped the world’s first atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima in Japan. Two days later, a second bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki. These two bombs were the most devastating weapons ever seen, and their effects on human beings and property were plainly horrifying. Approximately 110,000 people were killed; most of them were innocent civilians who just happened to have lived in the wrong place at the wrong time. Although using this weapon was an atrocity to both the Japanese, and humanity in general, the world was at war. No matter what ulterior motives may have existed, the fact remains that the bomb was a justifiably necessary measure to bring an early end to aggressive war that was instigated by Japan. Japan would never have surrendered unconditionally, as decreed in the Potsdam Ultimatum. Invasion of the Japanese home islands were out of the question because of the ferocious defense that would have been staged, and the huge number of casualties that it would entail. The bomb shocked the Japanese militarists into surrender and gave the “peace-party” the added credibility they required to bring about a quick end to the war. The use of the bomb also kept Russia out of the war, preventing problems that had occurred in post-war Germany, and later on in Korea. When all factors are taken into consideration, the use of the atomic bomb actually saved more lives, both Japanese and American than it took.
The world cried and wept for an end to World War II. All of the endless slaughter,fighting,and violence needed to stop. With one last nation,not standing, on its knees was struggling to continue the war. This nation was Japan. The people of Japan were suffering the burden of having a communist government and they were waiting for an end for World War II also. The United States had just that, an ending for World War Two. This ending came in the form of a 9,700 pound bomb called “Little Boy”. This Atomic Bomb was dropped upon the people of Hiroshima on the day of August 6, 1945 at exactly 8:15am, a Monday. It has been argued that we should or shouldn't have dropped the bomb on Hiroshima due to the after effects of the bomb. But I believe that dropping the Atomic Bomb had more benefits rather than the outcomes that would have occurred if we hadn't.
The dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan were ethical decisions made by President Harry Truman and the United States government. By the time of the atom bomb was ready, the U.S. had been engaged in military conflict for over four years and lost over 400,000 soldiers. Truman claimed, "We would have the opportunity to bring the world into a pattern in which the peace of the world and our civilization can be saved" (Winkler 18). The bomb was aimed at ending the war immediately and avoiding prolonged battle in the Pacific Theater and the inevitable invasion of Japan. President Truman hoped that by showing the Japanese the devastating weapon the U.S. possessed, that the war could be brought ...
Firstly, the bombings were unjustified because of the locations where the bombs were dropped. Neither cities were military or naval bases. Hiroshima was “… on a river delta and had been a fishing settlement for centuries” (Lawton) while Nagasaki was a shipbuilding city. Furthermore, Nagasaki had been bombed five times in the twelve months previous to the assault by the U.S. (“The Bombing of Nagasaki”). Both cities were also highly populated leading to high casualty levels. Before the attacks, Hiroshima had a population of 255,000 people and Nagasaki was home to 195,000 people. When these cities were attacked, 70,000 out of those 255,000 died in Hiroshima and 42,000 out of 195,000 perished in Nagasaki. This means that the bombings whipped out 27% of Hiroshima and 22% of the Nagasaki population (Total Casualties).
“My God, what have we done?” were the words that the co-pilot of Enola Gay wrote in his logbook after helping drop two bombs, one in Hiroshima and one in Nagasaki, that killed an estimated two-hundred thousand individuals. The bombings were completely unnecessary. Japan was already defeated because they lacked the necessary materials to continue a world war. The Japanese were prepared to surrender. There was no military necessity to drop the atomic bombs nor is there any factual information stating that the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were dropped to “save the lives of one million American soldiers.” The United States bombed Japan in August of 1945. The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were uncalled for and could have been avoided.
... then turned to incidenary bombing at low altitudes with devastating results. In a few months 180 square miles of 67 different cities were destroyed; 2, 510,00 Japanese homes were destroyed leaving about 30% of the population homeless. With between 268,157 to 900,000 Japanese civilians killed there were more Japanese civilians killed by American weapons than were Japanese soldier and the majority of these deaths were direct results of firebombing. The United States then dropped two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki killing 200,000 people and within days the Japanese surrendered. While the morality of the bombing of Japan is highly questionable the effectiveness is not. The bombing led directly to the surrender of the Japanese and saved the lives of the many American troops that would have been lost had the United States engaged in the invasion of the mainland.
During World War ll, Japan was on the brink of collapse. The Atomic Bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United State were unnecessary to end the war. The allied forces which were Great Britain, Soviet Union, France, United States and China, would conduct countless air raids and fire bombings on Japan. Japan’s military and civil defenses were inadequate to defend themselves and had no chance. For months Japans cities suffered attacks of bombs and fire raining down on them by the allied forces. The country was weak, starving and had no strength to fight back. On August 6 and 9, 1945, Nagasaki and Hiroshima would be the first cities to ever experience an atomic blast. Hiroshima and Nagasaki became literally test dummies for the atomic bomb. Japan had attempted to settle a peace treaty with the United States, but they refused and were determined for a unconditional surrender. Instead, the United States should have made an effort to make a peace treaty, not force them into surrender with the ultimate destruction weapon. The reason for this unconditional surrender was to prove America’s superiority over the Japanese. America used propaganda to convince Americans and demoralize the japanese people rather than their army. The use of the atomic bombs was caused by a strong racism motivating factor.
“Remember Pearl Harbor—Keep ‘em Dying,” were words spat from soldiers’ mouths in the United States military during World War II. Anger filled millions of citizens in the United States after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. Were these unresolved feelings between Japan and the United States the cause of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Did the United States have a concealed passion to show their strength and scientific advancement? Was the United States terrified of another invasion taking place on their soil? Why were the atomic bombs created and used in the first place? The actions of the United States were derived from the initial attack by Japan, which was due to Japan’s unwillingness to surrender. The atomic bombs were initially created because Germany was believed to be in the process of creating their own nuclear weapons. Many people in the world today believe the bombings of Japan were not necessary; that the bombings were the United States’ way of depleting the Japanese culture. These theories are completely incorrect. The truth behind this unresolved conflict is the bombing of Hiroshima was necessary, where as the bombing of Nagasaki was unnecessary. These actions all occurred because of Japan’s refusal to surrender, the United States’ want to save American lives, and the Allies’ want for the war to finish.
The United States was justified in dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki for many reasons. First of all, just to start out, the bombings had nothing to do with Japan, it was about the Cold War and the real reason America used these weapons was to show Russia that the US possessed them. Second, the war in the Pacific had been raging for almost four years. The two battles immediately preceding the bomb decision were Iwo Jima and Okinawa, two battles where the Japanese fought to the death and the cost in American casualties was horrific. It was predicted that the invasion of the Japanese mainland at the Island of Kyushu -- scheduled for November of 1945 -- would be even worse.